Streamlined housing for ship safety equipment



Jan. 21, 1964 R SMITH 3,118,413

STREAMLINED HOUSING FOR SHIP SAFETY EQUIPMENT Filed NOV. 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 21, 1964 R. D. SMITH STREAMLINED HOUSING FOR SHIP SAFETY EQUIPMENT Filed Nov. 14, 1962 Z7 X6 Z6 it r4 z Sheets-Sheet 2 if 2? f F 7' c a? g7 38 Z? ii I a INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,118,413 STREAMLINED HOUSING FOR SHIP SAFETY EQUIPMENT Robert D. Smith, 2742 E. Tremont Ave., Bronx 61, N.Y. Filed Nov. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 237,590 4 Claims. (Cl. 114-68) This invention relates to ship hulls. More specifically it relates to a hull compartment for housing safety equipment as described in U.S. patent application Serial No. 231,140, on Safety Equipment for Ships, Barges and the Like.

One object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of housings on a hull for containing ship safety equipment, each housing having access means for movement of the safety equipment outward therefrom into an operative position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of housings along the lateral sides of a ship hull wherein the access means into the housings present a streamlined configuration of the hull when the safety equipment is in an inoperative position.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of safety equipment housings wherein the access means are on the exterior side of the ship and wherein the access means are remotely controlled for movement between an open and closed position, from within the ship. Other objects of the invention are to provide a plurality of housings within a ship hull, having exterior access means which are quickly and easily controlled between an open and closed position, wherein the safety equipment may be moved outward from the housings in a secure unfailing manner, and wherein the streamlined contour of the hull is not impaired when the safety equipment is in an inoperative use.

For further objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a ship shown incorporating the present invention as viewed by an observer.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatical side view showing a general assembly of a certain portion of the device.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view partly in cross section showing a detail of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view thereof in cross section shown in an alternate position.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail thereof.

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional View through 6-6 of FIGURE '1 and looking in the direction thereof, and

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to :FIGURE 6 shown in an alternate position.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 10 represents a ship hull according to the present invention wherein there are a plurality of housing stations 11 on each side 12 of the hull.

Each of the stations comprises a vertically longitudinal chamber 13 formed within the hull in spaced apart relation; each of the chambers representing an inward depression in the hull, having a back wall 14, and parallel opposite side walls 15 integrally formed together with the hull. An access door 16 encloses the front side of the chamber, the door being slidable between a fully closed position (as shown in FIGURE 3) to a fully open position (as shown in FIGURE 4). Water-tight horizontally extending tubes 17 communicate between the stations.

Within the station there is located an endless chain 18, which travels across a plurality of gears 19, 20, 21 and 22 positioned along an imaginary line between the keel 23 and bulwark rail 24; the chain having on one side spaced apart hooks 25 which are engagable with hooks 26 of an 3,118,413 Patented Jan. 21, 1964 air-inflatable blanket 27 retained in stored position within a housing 28 adjacent the rail. Another air-inflatable blanket 29 is retained in stored position within a bin 30 formed in the ship side, the blanket having spaced apart books 31 which are engagable with hooks 32 on the opposite side of the endless chain. Thus by movement of the chain the air blankets are drawn downward on each side of the chain until the leading ends of the blankets are adjacent the keel at which time they may be inflated for purpose of providing buoyancy to the ship in case the hull has suffered a hole and is dangerously shipping water. (The above operation of the endless chain and air blankets are described more fully in the above cited patent application and are herein referred to for purpose of cooperation with the present invention.)

The gear 19 is fixed on a crankshaft 33 which can be manually or motor operated to move the chain. The gears 20 are mounted rotatable free on one end of shafts 3 threadedly engages in threaded bearings 35 in back wall 14. A plurality of gears 36 are fixedly mounted to the opposite ends of shafts 34 and an endless chain 37 passes across these gears and across a gear 38 fixedly mounted on a manually or motor-driven shaft 39.

The door 16 is made to be slidable from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to the position shown in FIGURE 4. In door comprises a rectangular plate conforming to the contour of the hull, and having a vertical edge 40 which in closed position fits in recess 41 of the hull. Guide pins '42 and 43 are afiixed to the door which travel in tracks 44 and 45 respectively of the hull (as shown in FIGURE 5). A vertical roller 46 is attached rollable free on the hull adjacent edge 47 of the door when in a closed position.

Each door is activated by a plurality of chains 48 which are attached to each door, the chains extending horizontal- 1y through tubes 17 between the stations, then being attached to vertical bars 49 near each longitudinal end, and the terminal ends of the chains being afiixed to winch drums 5t), 51 at each opposite end of the ship, the drums being driven by motors 52, 53 respectively.

In operative use, in order to move the air blankets downward from a storage position to a position adjacent the keel, it is necessary to first expose the full length of the chain to the air blankets and also to move the chain outward from within the chamber 13 so it can engage therewith and draw the relatively wider air blankets downward alongside the ship h-ull. Thus as shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4 it is first necessary to open the door after which chain 18 is moved outwardly. Thus in operative use, the doors are opened by starting motor 52. causing chains 48 to be wound up on drum thus causing all doors to open simultaneously. The leading edge 47 of each door is first drawn inwardly into the hull due to the shape of tracks 44, whereas rear edge 40 is drawn longitudinally out of recess 41 after which it is drawn also inwardly into the hull, due to shape of tracks 45. The edge -47 moves relatively free over roller 46, and the door continues to open until shoulder 54 thereof abuts with stop 55. The doors are now fully open.

Next the chain 3 7 is activated causing rotation of gears 36 and movement of threaded shafts 34 outwardly, thus delivering chains 18 from the position shown in FIGURE 6 to the outward position shown in FIGURE 7 where they can co-operate with the air blanket as described above.

To close the doors and retract the chains, the process is reversed with use of motor 53.

With certain modification this apparatus may be made applicable for use on submarines.

Thus there has been shown a construction wherein the streamline of a hull is unimpaired, wherein safety equipment may be exposed and moved forward into operative position when necessary, and wherein the mechanism will not rip the air blankets.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be Within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus set forth and disclosed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a ship the combination of a hull, a plurality of vertically longitudinal chambers recessed inwardly in said hull said chambers having openings on the outer side of said hull, doors for closing said openings to preserve the outer contour of said hull, said doors in closed position being flush with the outer side of said hull and in an open position being located within said chambers, said doors having means for slidable movement between said open and closed positions, and being slidable in a longitudinal direction of the ship, an endless chain mounted upon supporting means carried Within each of said chambers and means for withdrawing said endless chain out of said chamber through said opening to a position outwardly beyond the said outer contour of the hull.

2. In a ship the combination as set forth in claim 1 .4 wherein each of said doors contains guide pins and said hull contains tracks, said guide pins being slidably rctained within said tracks for movement of said door.

3. In a ship the combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein all of said doors are atfixed to a plurality of horizontally extending chains, power means at each opposite end of said ship to pull said chains and said chains being attached to said power means.

4. In a ship the combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein each said chamber comprises a vertical rear wall and opposite side walls, a plurality of threaded shafts threadedly engaged in said rear wall, the outward ends of said shafts each having a gear mounted rotatively free thereupon, said gears engaging said endless chain, and the inward ends of said shafts each having a second gear fixedly mounted thereupon, said second gears having an endless chain engaged thereupon, and power means for moving last said endless chain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 954,882 Powell Apr. 12, 1910 972,180 Fugazzi Oct. ll, 191D 

1. IN A SHIP THE COMBINATION OF A HULL, A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY LONGITUDINAL CHAMBERS RECESSED INWARDLY IN SAID HULL SAID CHAMBERS HAVING OPENINGS ON THE OUTER SIDE OF SAID HULL, DOORS FOR CLOSING SAID OPENINGS TO PRESERVE THE OUTER CONTOUR OF SAID HULL, SAID DOORS IN CLOSED POSITION BEING FLUSH WITH THE OUTER SIDE OF SAID HULL AND IN AN OPEN POSITION BEING LOCATED WITHIN SAID CHAMBERS, SAID DOORS HAVING MEANS FOR SLIDABLE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, AND BEING SLIDABLE IN A LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF THE SHIP, AN ENDLESS CHAIN MOUNTED UPON SUPPORTING MEANS CARRIED WITHIN EACH OF SAID CHAMBERS AND MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING SAID ENDLESS CHAIN OUT OF SAID CHAMBER THROUGH SAID OPENING TO A POSITION OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE SAID OUTER CONTOUR OF THE HULL. 